Los Angeles County
Biographies
LOUIS HEATON ROSEBERRY
ROSEBERRY, LOUIS HEATON, Attorney, Los Angeles, California, was born in Oakland, California, February 5, 1880. He is the son of James Swan Roseberry and Emma Jane (Adamson) Roseberry. Married Jeannette Morton at Santa Barbara, May 20, 1912. Mr. Roseberry is descended of a family many centuries old. Of Scottish origin, its members scattered to various parts of the Old World several centuries ago, some settling in the North of England, others in the North of Ireland, a third branch in Wales, a fourth in Germany, and a fifth in Austria. One of the early notables of the family was Sir Archibald Primrose, who was elevated to the peerage in Scotland in 1700 and in 1703 took the title of Earl of Roseberry. The various branches of the family contributed to the early settlers of America, the first dating about 1740. The different families were located in Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Massachusetts and other Colonies and the men took part in the Revolutionary War and the various Indian Wars which marked the early history of the United States.
Mr. Roseberry received his primary education in the public schools of Visalia, California, and also attended the High School at Oakland from 1896 to 1898. He entered Leland Stanford University the following year and was graduated in the class of 1903 with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. He returned to the University the following year for post-graduate work, but his studies were interrupted by an epidemic of typhoid fever in the vicinity of the University.
He had studied law at the University and upon leaving there in August, 1904, went to Santa Barbara, California, where he continued to read in the offices of Judge B. F. Thomas and Henley C. Booth. At the end of three months he went before the State Supreme Court for examination and was admitted to practice in December, 1904. He immediately opened offices in Santa Barbara and continued there until his removal to Los Angeles in the early part of 1912.
Early in his career as an attorney, Mr. Roseberry became active in local and State politics in Santa Barbara, espousing the cause of the Progressive Republicans. He was the organizer of the Progressive Republican League of Santa Barbara and was one of the most active men in the fight to overthrow what was known as the Old Republican “Organization” of that county.
In 1908, the year William Howard Taft, as the candidate of the Regular Republican Party, swept the country in his campaign for President, Mr. Rosenberry, a stanch adherent of the progressive policies of the party, was elected to the State Senate of California from the Thirty-third District for a term of four years. His fight against the machine organization of his own party was one of the sensations of the California campaign and his success had much to do with strengthening the cause of the progressive element in that State. Two years after his election Mr. Roseberry espoused the cause of Hiram Johnson, Progressive Republican candidate for Governor, and his work in that campaign aided materially in the election of his candidate. He served as Chairman of the County Convention and was selected as one of the Delegates to the State Convention which nominated Johnson for Governor.
During the campaign Senator Roseberry took the stump and made numerous speeches in support of the Johnson candidacy. Although a young man his sincerity and ability as an orator had already impressed his constituency, because for several years previous he had appeared as orator on various occasions, delivering addresses on Memorial Day, Fourth of July, etc.
Senator Roseberry, during the four years of his term, was one of the most energetic and progressive members of the State Legislature. He not only introduced numerous bills having for their object the public good, but led his colleagues in battling for their adoption. Among the measures introduced by him and passed were the Roseberry Employers’ Liability Law and the Constitutional Amendment (adopted by the voters in 1911) providing for civil service in all State, County and City offices. Both these acts were introduced in 1911, but two years previously he had introduced what was known as the Roseberry Postal Primary Law, which was later withdrawn in order to make room for the present Primary Law under which California now nominates all candidates for public offices.
While in the Senate, he also procured for Santa Barbara the State Normal School of Manual Arts and Home Economics for the training of teachers in these branches of education, the only institution of its kind in the United States.
Senator Roseberry was prevailed upon by Governor Johnson, in September, 1911, to accept the post of Attorney for the State Board of Health for a term of four years. At the beginning of the year 1912 he was chosen as Trust Attorney for the Security, Trust and Savings Bank of Los Angeles and he now occupies both positions.
In connection with his position as Trust Attorney for the Security Bank, Senator Roseberry has charge of all matters dealing with trusts, estates and legacies and occupies a leading position among the financiers of the West. In addition to his political and legal work, Senator Roseberry, in 1911, organized the Sunset Assurance Association, the only mutual insurance company in the State of California. This organization for which Senator Roseberry is special counsel, operates on the general assessment plan and, although not very old, has already proved one of the most successful of its kind in the United States.
Senator Roseberry has been a prolific writer on social, civic and commercial subjects and has devoted much time to the youth of the country, having been for several years a member of the Advisory Board of the Success Magazine.
He is a member of the California Bar Association, the National Geographic Society, the International Peace Society, Native Sons of the Golden West, and the Order of Elks. His clubs are the Jonathan, Gamut and City Clubs of Los Angeles.
Transcribed 2-26-09
Marilyn R. Pankey.
Source: Press
Reference Library, Western Edition Notables of the West, Vol. I, Page 211,
International News Service, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles,
Boston, Atlanta. 1913.
© 2009 Marilyn R. Pankey.
GOLDEN NUGGET'S LOS ANGELES BIOGRAPIES